What is the function of bearings?

What are bearings?

Bearings are "parts that help an object to rotate". They support the shaft that rotates inside a machine.

Machines that use bearings include cars, aircraft, generators and so on. They are even used in household appliances that we use every day, such as refrigerators, hoovers and air conditioners.

Bearings support the rotating shafts of wheels, gears, turbines, rotors, etc. in these machines so that they can rotate more smoothly.

In this way, machines of all kinds require a large number of shafts to rotate, which means that bearings are almost always used, so much so that they have been called the "bread and butter of the mechanical industry". At first glance, bearings may seem like simple mechanical parts, but without them we would not be able to survive.

The role of bearings

So what role do bearings actually play in keeping machines running smoothly?

They fulfil two main functions.

Function 1: Reducing friction for smoother rotation

Friction is bound to occur between the rotating shaft and the component that supports the rotation. Bearings are used between these two components.

Bearings are used to reduce friction and allow smoother rotation. This reduces the amount of energy consumed. This is one of the most important functions of bearings.

Function 2: Protects the rotating part and keeps the rotating shaft in the correct position

A great deal of force is required between the rotating shaft and the parts supporting the rotation. The function of the bearing is to prevent this force from causing damage to the part supporting the rotation and to maintain the correct position of the rotating shaft.

This function of the bearings enables us to use our machines repeatedly over a long period of time.

How widespread is the use of bearings?

Let's ask ourselves how much our daily lives depend on bearings. You don't usually see them, so it's a bit hard to imagine. Let's talk about cars, because these are the ones we all know.

Devices (parts) that generate the driving force

Examples: Alternators, turbochargers, etc.

Steering equipment (parts)

Examples: steering gears, pumps, etc.

Devices (parts) that transmit the driving force

Examples: transmissions, differentials, etc.

Equipment (parts) for driving the vehicle

Examples: wheels, suspension, etc.

All these bearings play a very important role. If a car does not have bearings, the rotation would become rough and consume a lot of energy, and the parts that support the rotation will be damaged almost immediately.

Without bearings, therefore, we would not be able to drive the car safely and comfortably.

Bearings play a vital role in our daily lives, but because of their importance we must constantly strive to make them more precise and durable.

Furthermore, it is vital for the development of machine technology that we continue to develop bearings that are capable of working under even more demanding and specialised conditions. If you need automotive bearings, please feel free to contact us, as an automobile bearing manufacturer, we have various types of automotive component bearings for you to choose from!